Another bike shop (sad) story

[ntb1001]

Originally Posted by Tony

I find that tape between $20 and $45 everywhere including the Trek Store?

https://www.trekbikestore.com/produc...070/tape-1072/



FWIW It takes time to install bar tape correctly.

I bought it as I was getting some work done and I’m the guy that brings my own parts so I felt obligated to buy something besides a labour....but prime example as to why I bring my own parts!!


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[peanutgallery]

If the shop provides a service and you need the service and you agree on a price for said service...how is that a rip-off?

Winter, lots of time to stress about the price of bike sundries...and to tell stories

Originally Posted by Clancy

One of the most absurd comments I’ve ever read on this forum. Let’s see if I can paraphrase....

When you walk into a bike shop, bring your wallet and be willing to be taken advantage of.

Let me repeat the entire story as clear as possible.

An 80 year old man walks into a bike shop and asked for one brake cable.
No housing, no other requirements. Just one single brake cable.
The employee who he assumed was either the owner or manager hands him a single (packaged) brake cable and says that’s $29.95 plus tax. No clarifying questions.

The 80 year old looks to be a stereotypical old, disheveled, retired guy. Does not look like anything else...ex-pro, avid cyclist, whatever. He says no thanks and walks out. He could have just as easily been a grandad trying to fix a grandkids bike or simply trying to fix a neighborhood cruiser.

In what world is this not trying to up-sale or take advantage of a customer?

I just retired from a bike shop in San Antonio. This type of transaction happened daily. After asking the customer road or mountain bike, I’d pull a Jagwire cable (cost $1.07 each) and hand it to the customer and charge $3. I’d always give them for free w/o their asking 2-3 crimps to go with the cable.

There’s no more to this story. The manager/owner/employee (whatever his title) either didn’t know what he was doing or trying to pass off a ridiculously priced item that wasn’t any where what the customer needed or wanted.

I always operated with a few simple beliefs.

Work on every bike as if it’s my own.
Listen to what the customer is (or is not) saying.
Ask clarifying questions and fully explain.
Always try to make the customer’s experience as positive as possible.
When working on a bike, to get the bike to its best performance as inexpensive as possible to the customer.

This sounds like a lot but it absolutely isn’t. Using the example of someone coming in for a single cable, all those could be put into practice in a 3-4 minute exchange.

I really don’t see how any of that is difficult or why there’s any debate.

The story of my friend is a story of extremely poor customer service.

And! I gave away valve caps

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

That can't be the whole story. As I related earlier, my local Trek dealer doesn't even stock the $29.95 Bontrager brake cable - they only carry the $19.95 and $5.95 Bontrager brake cables. Had the customer in the OP's story been offered the $5.95 brake cable (still a Trek product), this thread probably never would have been started.

Trek doesn't care if a Trek dealer stocks an expensive Bontrager cable or a cheap one. I suspect they don't care about cables at all unless it's a store they own. I'm sure they prefer everything on display is a Trek brand, but they know the reality is people will carry other stuff. I'm pretty sure the breakup of my lbs with Trek was over bikes, not sundries.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by bikinchris

Ride On cables from W.L. Gore used to sell fully sealed cables with full length Teflon liners. They were a pain to put in and would last decades if you put them in correctly. Slickest cables around and you really could feel the difference between them and top cables from Shimano or Campy in both shifting and braking.
They cost a whole lot and if I remember correctly a single brake cable liner and seal would have been about $30.

The original Gore Tex Ride-On Cable Kit retailed for $55 back when it came out. The kit included two brake or derailleur inner wires, the liner, a bunch of housing, two cable grubs, end cap crimps and ferrules. AND they came with a warranty!!!

I have Gore kits that are still working just fine. I've installed kits on peoples bikes back in 95 that are still perfect. I've got a kit on a 94 mountain bike that's still perfect. The one time I broke a brake inner wire, I called them up and they sent me an entire new kit.

The new kits that came out were $60 and while slightly different, they still offered excellent and upgraded performance AND a warranty!

Big difference between the OP's buddy who got a coated inner wire for $30 and a full kit like the Gore ones. If the shop cared about things, they would've asked what he wanted and given him options and explained things.